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2026 is the year of ease, joy, and low-maintenance plant care! It’s time that plants make us feel good instead of dread every time we walk past them. Something’s off if plants are stressing you out. So I invited my friend Cassidy Tuttle from Succulents and Sunshine back on the podcast because if there’s anyone who embodies easy plant care, it’s her! We talked about what’s actually happening in our plant lives right now: having too many plants,  letting some go, and redefining what our collections look like. Listen in!

 

In this episode, we learn:

• [03:49] Meet my friend Cassidy from Succulents & Sunshine!
• [04:50] Cassidy’s latest projects: the Cheerful Plants app and Snappy Pots
• [06:28] How her relationship with plants changed over the years
• [08:39] What other low-maintenance plants is she experimenting with?
• [09:45] Cuttings vs established plants
• [11:25] My unexpected reality of growing plants in Florida!
• [13:30] Why we now concentrate plants in specific zones of the house
• [15:30] Get 3x the antioxidants of regular honey with Manukora!
• [17:11] Post-pandemic shifts in plant culture
• [19:41] Why whimsical is the 2026 plant trend at the Northwest Flower & Garden Show
• [22:11] What does plant number mean to Cassidy?
• [25:43] Pros and cons of grouping succulents in arrangements
• [28:26] Reducing your plant collection
• [31:59] Choosing how you want your collection to grow (fewer big plants vs. many small ones)
• [33:59] How Cassidy reworks her watering systems and setups to save time and effort!
• [37:03] What tools are worth upgrading for your plant care?
• [40:08] Why you should cull your plant accessories too!
• [44:02] Where you keep your plants in your house matters
• [44:42] Why you should stop buying more plants when you don’t need them
• [45:55] Comparison & social media plant envy
• [48:15] What is the Cheerful Plants app all about?
• [51:11] Why AI plant care apps often fail
• [54:06] Breakdown of Cheerful Plants app features!
• [56:59] Where to try the app and how the pricing works
• [58:18] Where to find Cassidy, her course, and future offerings!

 

 

 

Order my book!

Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness (and Plants) by Maria Failla, Illustrated by Samantha Leung

 

 

What Is Low Maintenance Plant Care?

If you’ve taken my Plant Personality Test, you should know by now what type of plant parent you are. So when I say low maintenance plant parent, it doesn’t mean neglecting your plants!

It means building a care routine that actually fits your life right now. For me, that looks like letting go of the idea that I need to check every plant every day. For Cassidy, it means growing almost everything on one plant stand under grow lights so the variables stay controlled and the routine stays simple.

Low-maintenance plant care is really about a few simple shifts:

• Doing less, but more intentionally
• Choosing systems that support you
• Letting go of perfection
• Paying attention to what actually works in your space

 

 

Know Your Plant Number

Your plant number is the number of plants that you can realistically care for without feeling overwhelmed. It should be the number that keeps plant care “fun” instead of like a second job.

Cassidy said she manages 485 pots, and watering her full collection takes her 6 hours in a single week. That definitely doesn’t sound fun. But she said that she’s actively working on reducing that number, and her sweet spot is closer to 150 plants!

So how do you figure out your number? Start by asking yourself a few honest questions:

• How much time do I actually want to spend on plant care each week?
• Which plants do I genuinely look forward to tending?
• Which ones do I walk past and feel guilty about?

 

 

How to Reduce Your Plant Collection

Knowing you have too many plants is one thing. Actually letting them go is another. It probably feels wasteful, but holding onto them when they no longer make you happy has its own kind of cost.

Here are a few ways to cull your collection:

• Gift plants to friends
• Share in local Buy Nothing groups
• Sell a few on Facebook Marketplace & local markets
• Bundle plants with a course/workshop (Cassidy packages plants with her succulent care course which is part of her membership)
• Donate extra pots and supplies

 

Of course, don’t forget to cull your plant accessories too. I have a whole section of my garage dedicated to plant accessories I am never going to use, and many of those are no longer bringing me joy.

Cassidy mentioned the 20/20 rule (concept from Sarah Mueller of The Decluttering Club), which means if you can replace something in 20 minutes or less for $20 or less, let it go.

 

 

Upgrade Your Tools, Simplify Your Routine

Sometimes, making plant care easier is about having the right tools for where you're at right now.

Cassidy switched to two-inch deep nursery trays and an electric sprayer so she can soak everything in one pass without second-guessing herself.

For me, it was self-watering planters, something I used to openly dismiss. Life got busier, and the right tool for this season turned out to be the one I swore I'd never use.

The tool should match the setup. And the setup is always changing!

 

 

Track Your Plants Without Overthinking It

Cassidy built the Cheerful Plants app to help people track their watering history and build a photo record over time.

The goal isn't to tell you what to do but to show you what you've already done so you can make a smarter call in the moment.

It's free for up to five plants with every feature included. After that, it's $2.99 a month or $30 a year!

 

 

Choose Plants That Match Your Life

One of the easiest ways to make plant care less stressful is to simply grow plants that already fit how you live.

Here are the plants Cassidy mentioned that are worth considering if ease is your goal, too:

• Succulents
• Monstera deliciosa
• Rubber Tree (Ficus)
• Pothos
• Spider Plant
• Jade Plant
• Norfolk Pine

Cassidy's Monstera went 60 days without water and survived. If you're a forgetful waterer, tropical plants might surprise you with how hardy they actually are.

 

 

Plant Care Should Be Less Stressful

Make your plants the easiest part of your day! Give yourself permission to simplify, shift, and grow at your own pace. That's what 2026 is all about.

 

 

 

 

Mentioned in our conversation:

• Succulents and Sunshine
• Succulents (Idiot's Guides) by Cassidy Tuttle
• Cheerful Plants app
• Snappy Pots
• Bonsai Jack Succulent Gritty Mix
• Maria's fave: Espoma Organic Cactus Potting Soil Mix
• Blossom Effect talks about watering tips (including the backpack spray!)
• Using the 20/20 rule to make decluttering decisions
• Growing Joy episodes:
  • 330: 2026 Garden and Houseplant Trends: My Main Takeaways from Northwest Flower and Garden Festival
  • 267: Create a Biophilic Office Space: Boost Your Workday Motivation by Adding These Plants to Your Office
  • 246: What is Regenerative Gardening and Permaculture? with Stephanie Rose of Garden Therapy
  • 171: What To Do When A Plant Dies with Cassidy from Succulents and Sunshine

 

 

Thank you to our episode sponsor:

Manukora

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Go to manukora.com/bloom to get up to 31% off the starter kit that includes their 850+ Manukora honey jar, 5 honey travel sticks, a wooden spoon, and a guidebook, PLUS $25 worth of free gifts!

 

 

Follow Cassidy:

Website
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube
Pinterest
Books
Membership

 

 

 

Follow Maria and Growing Joy:

Order my book: Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness (and Plants) by Maria Failla, Illustrated by Samantha Leung

Take the Plant Parent Personality Quiz (Get the perfect plants, projects and educational resources for YOUR Lifestyle)

Support Growing Joy with Maria by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon!

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